Of Lightning and Ice
by baal2328
Summary: "The Lightning Goddess does not like to be restrained..." these words have been echoing in Gray's mind ever since he was fifteen years old. Will he finally meet her? Rated M in later chapters.
1. Prologue

**Prologue…**

"Do you think it will be okay?" the raven haired man asked his companion, a worried look on his face.

She smiled―And good Lord, how his heart thumped at the sight of such beauty―, "Of course it will! They already approve of our relationship even if they haven't seen you yet."

"Alright then…" he said, though he didn't seem too convinced. For some reason, he got this feeling that everything will go wrong once he met her parents. At first, he didn't want to go but after a lot of pleading, convincing, and pouting―Yes, she pouts and, unfortunately, he couldn't resist it―, he finally gave in. He loved her too much―this black haired maiden with one red eye and one brown eye and smooth, porcelain complexion owns his heart. She knows how to stop him from going berserk and use his power to unintentionally destroy everything in his path and that's what made him love her more. She was his anchor, the one who saved him from pure insanity, blood thirst, and the subconscious lust to extinguish every living thing no matter how innocent it may be.

She was his light…his life…his everything…his hope.

They got to the main room, where her parents are waiting for them. He paused for a moment then pulled her towards him to kiss her lovingly, his lips moving harmoniously and slowly on hers. She blushed and closed her eyes, relishing the sweetness his mouth was giving off, sending shivers through her that only he could give.

"I. Love. You." He said, enunciating each word carefully so she'd feel the power in his words. He held her close, one hand on her cheek, his deep, dark brown eyes full of emotion, emphasizing the three words he just uttered.

Her blush intensified and she simpered blissfully as she replied, "I. Love. You. Too."

He kissed her forehead then held her hand tightly before entering the room. He felt the huge rock of realization hit him when he saw the room. He knew everything about this room, from the fireplace with a tiger's head situated just above it and flanked with the paintings of running horses and a flying eagle on each side at the west, the balcony that leads to a spectacular view of the forest behind the house, the grand chandelier that's usually lighted up with lavender scented candles at the ceiling, the lush, white Persian carpet on the floor…

…And the two figures, a woman and man in their mid to late-50s, sitting on elegant chairs, drinking tea and eating scones while waiting for the young lovers. Upon sight of the young man, everything became enveloped in silence, save for the fire crackling in the hearth.

And then a teacup was dropped, the contents of the said object spoiling the image of the immaculate rug.

"You..!" the man growled, standing up, "What are you doing here in my house? You are already banned to step even one foot here!"

The woman was furious also, tears of rage flowing down from her eyes, "I did not expect you to show your face again. How dare you seduce our daughter?" She marched forward then yanked the girl away from him, "Don't you dare touch her with your filthy hands!"

"W-What's going on, Mother? Father?" the girl asked, confusion spelled all over her features. Why were they so angry at him? At her lover?

"And you!" her father yelled at her, "You are grounded! You are forbidden to see him ever again! That's it! I'm going to marry you off to my business partner's son."

She was stupefied, "What? Why? What did he do to you?"

"He's your brother…" her mother replied.

Her world―and his, too―crashed.


	2. Chapter One

**Chapter One…**

_"Where are you going, Gray?" Cana Alberona asked, shuffling a deck of cards on the table._

_ He shrugged in reply, "I'm going out. I need some fresh air."_

_ "Well, be careful, okay?" Cana called out after him, "They say that a Dark Wizard is going on a rampage in the whole town. You might encounter him without you knowing."_

_ "Heh, I'll freeze him before he even touches me," Gray Fullbuster answered haughtily before going out._

_ Finally, some fresh air! He thought the moment he exited the guild. For some reason, he wasn't in the mood to go against Natsu Dragneel or even Erza Scarlet this time. He's also not in the mood to listen to Cana predict his future or whatever. He decided that he needs some quality time for himself, where he could think about things. The guild was too noisy especially when Natsu went wild then began to set everything with fire._

_ He didn't think that he'd already gone far when he noticed that he's already in the forest. He looked around, trying to decide what direction he will go to. He went east, deciding that it's safe. He paused for a moment, closing his eyes, listening to the sounds of nature when he heard a soft voice humming a song._

_ His eyes snapped open. He followed the direction of the voice, wanting to hear more of the song. The song seems sad and Gray felt himself relating to it. He found a girl sitting under a tree, her back leaning against the trunk as she hummed. She was wearing a simple red dress, gothic combat boots, and gothic accessories. Gray could see that she has slightly pale skin, black hair with blue highlights tied up in a bun with two silver chopsticks, a perfectly straight nose, soft, full lips, and one gold eye since he could only see one side of her face. He stared at her, vaguely wondering how old she is. 17? 18? 16? _

_ Suddenly, she stopped humming then looked up and Gray blushed. He noticed that she had one brown eye and one red eye, indicating that she is a heterochromic. Gray had never seen a person with dual colored eyes before. He thought that seeing one may be weird but on this girl who was also staring straight at him, he'd never seen anything more beautiful._

_ She smiled, "Hello. Come sit with me?"_

_ Gray found himself walking towards the girl then he sat beside her. "Why are you singing a sad song?"_

_ Her smile grew sadder, "Because I am not free. I want to gain my freedom. Maybe you could help me?"_

_ "How?" he asked, finding himself eager to help this gorgeous maiden. _

_ "But you're still young, my young mage," she noted, "Make yourself strong first then perhaps you can be the one to help me attain my freedom once again."_

_ He looked down, partially ashamed, "I'm sorry if I can't be of help right now. What is your name, by the way?"_

_ "You'll find out once I'm free," she winked at him mischievously, "You better hurry, young one. The Lightning Goddess does not like to be restrained. She prefers to be free from her bonds. A storm is not complete without the lightning, you know."_

_ "Huh?" he became confused at her manner of speaking, as if she just said something in a foreign language, "Are you the Lightning Goddess?"_

_ "Again, you'll find out once I'm free," she said, "What's your element, anyway? You don't look like a Fire Mage or someone who uses Take-Over Magic."_

_ "I'm a Creation Magic user who specializes in Ice-Make," he answered, "How about you?"_

_ She became amused, "Ice...Hmmm...ice and lightning meeting together. What a coincidence for two mages who specialize in among the most powerful elements to meet without clashing. Time sure has changed."_

_ "You're a lightning user?" he asked and she nodded. _

_ "Well, young one, I must be off for now," she said, stretching her legs and arms, "Remember, I'll be waiting for you to release me. If you do that, let's find the Lightning Goddess together, okay?"_

_ "Alright!" he felt eager again, "If I do that, will you let me know your name?"_

_ She smiled again and Gray's breath caught in his throat, "Of course. I don't break promises. Until the day we meet again, young one." She slipped something in his hand then she leaned down and then pressed her lips on his for a kiss. For a brief moment, Gray tasted apples and caramel, the sweetness of the flavour making his heart go a hundred miles a minute. She pulled back, smiled sweetly at him, and then walked away, disappearing among the cluster of trees._

_ For the first time in his life, Gray was sure that he's in-love._

"Gray? Are you okay?"

The Ice Mage blinked a few times then looked at the Requip user waving a hand in front of him. He stared at Erza dumbly for a minute just as Juvia appeared in the background then said, "Gray-sama is thinking of doing passionate things with Juvia!"

Lucy sighed in tolerance, "Good heavens, what an imagination."

The rain woman glared at her, "Love rival!"

Gray shook his head then looked away, earning confused looks from his friends. He stood up then went out of the room, the curious eyes of his companions and fellow guild mates following him.

"Hey, Erza, what's up with Gray? Is he sick or something?" Lucy asked, clutching Plue near her chest.

Erza shrugged, "I have no idea either. He's always been like that ever since he's fifteen and it's always this day, October 29."

"October 29…" Lucy mused, "I wonder what's up with this date."

Meanwhile, Gray was strolling by the Indoor Pool, deep in thought. He sat by the ledge then dipped his feet in the water, shoes and all. He touched his lips, immediately recalling the sensation of his first kiss, which he received three years ago. Questions raced in his mind. Will he see her again? Is he strong enough now to help her find and free the Lightning Goddess? Will he finally know her name?

He took something out from his pocket then gazed at it. It was a square-shaped locket that when it's opened, it has her picture in it and a miniature, old fashioned clock that still works. He always brings it with him to every mission he goes because it brings him luck. He rested a finger on her picture…

"Oh, is she your girlfriend?" Lucy's voice asked from behind him.

He let out a startled yelp and nearly dropped the locket in the pool. Thanks to his dexterity, he was able to catch the object before it could touch the water. He looked around him and saw Cana, Lucy, Mirajane, and Levy all in swimsuits.

"Uh…no, she's not," Gray said, blushing furiously, "By the way, what are you all doing here?"

"We're going to swim in the pool," Mirajane answered for all of them, "Would you like to join us? Erza, Natsu, and Happy will follow as I speak."

He shook his head, "No thanks, I'm cool. See you later." With that, he left the pool then went to find another quiet place to think.

"Is it October 29 today?" Levy asked.

"Yeah. The Gray Depression Day," Cana replied, "I really don't know what he saw on this day three years ago."

"What happened anyway?" Lucy asked, "Maybe we can help Gray solve this problem of his or something."

A thoughtful look crossed Cana's face, "On the afternoon of October 29 three years ago, I was reading my cards while Gray was watching Natsu beating the crap out of some guild members. That was the time when a rumoured Dark Wizard was going on a rampage in Magnolia Town. Gray then went out for some fresh air and it was a few hours before he came back so I figured that he got to a far place, say the forest or maybe the Kardia Cathedral. When he returned, he got this dreamy, broody look and didn't speak for the rest of the day. Since then, I'd see him training harder and harder for something, like he's preparing for something big. He said it wasn't for the S-Class Exam Advancement Trial but something else. He wouldn't tell us what it is, though, no matter how hard we persist. And he's always staring at that locket…"

"But I've got the feeling that Gray met a girl and fell in-love with her. When he entered the guild that day, he looked like he's been kissed," Mirajane supplied.

Levy giggled, "Well, whoever this girl is, she is lucky and unlucky at the same time."

Lucy arched an eyebrow, "Why do you say so?"

"Lucky because I think that Gray could be an ideal boyfriend," Levy said, "Unlucky because Juvia might kill her."

Far away from Fairy Tail, the Head Master of the guild Blood Unity stared at the prize in front of them, counting the somewhat endless possibilities of her increase in power. The object in front of her was nothing but a mere miniature version of a glacier. The outer covering was nothing but a mere show; what the Master wants is the _content _of the glacier.

Inside the huge slab of ice was a girl around the age of seventeen with black hair fixed up in a bun with silver chopsticks; almond-shaped eyes framed with long, dark lashes and eyelids with a tinge of lavender on them; straight nose; full, soft-looking pink lips; and smooth, porcelain skin. She wore a simple, long-sleeved red dress hanging two inches above her knee, a black rose corsage around her wrist, fingerless black gloves, and gothic combat boots.

"Once I free you," the Master murmured, "You will see it as debt and then serve me. You will be my servant and mine only."

She grinned menacingly, liking the idea of making this exquisite creature her subordinate. She'd be hers and no one else's. She'd be more powerful even if all the Light Guilds were combined. She stood in front of the glacier, muttered something like a prayer, and then watched the ice slowly melt away. Now all she has to do is to contact the other Dark Guild called Grimoire Hearts and see if they accomplished their mission.

**(Author's Note: Wow, I finally published my first fan fic :D please review so I'll be motivated to finish this :D)**


	3. Chapter Two

**Chapter Two…**

"Come, tell me. What is it that you desire?"

The men stared at Erza like she was the most delicious thing in the whole world, with their eyes wide and drool coming out of their mouths. Lucy sighed. Her legs already hurt from running here and there and her arms were already numb from carrying a lot of trays from one table to another. The blond Celestial Spirit mage sat slumped on a chair, waiting for their duty to end. Honestly, the job was so pointless that it made Lucy tired even though it didn't involve hand to hand combat and summoning of spirits to aid them in their fight.

After they cleaned up and received a friendly advice from the manager, who happened to be a former member of the Magic Council, Team Natsu headed back to their beloved guild. Lucy summoned Horologium then rode inside him, obviously exhausted. Her co-members didn't complain, though, because they're already used to Lucy's complaining nature. Gray, as all of them noticed, wasn't exactly being wordy for the past few days.

And it was already irritating Natsu.

"GRAY~!" Natsu yelled at the Ice Mage, "What the hell's up with you, you bastard?"

Happy raised a hand, a habit of his whenever he's answering, "Maybe he's thinking of his girlfriend."

"I don't have a girlfriend, okay?" Gray answered quietly, his hands in his pockets, his head down low.

"'Well, who exactly was the girl in the locket, Gray?' she asked," Horologium said, repeating Lucy's words.

It took Gray a long moment before he answered, "She's just someone I met a long time ago."

"Who are you talking about~?" Natsu demanded, flames coating his hands as he spoke.

"Shut up, you idiot! Can't a guy have some thinking time?" Gray exclaimed, not in the usual, irritated way he does to Natsu whenever the Dragon Slayer gets on his nerves. Gray's manner shocked everyone, particularly Natsu. The pink haired man quieted down then transferred to Erza's side. Gray's aloof aura was bugging Natsu already but he didn't ask―it was clear this aura meant 'Don't bother me for now. I'm busy thinking and I don't want to be disturbed.' Maybe he can ask if they arrived in the guild or if Gray's cooled down already.

As they boarded the ship back to Magnolia Town, Gray excused himself then went to the deck for some 'fresh air'. Nobody resisted at his request and four pair of eyes watched him go.

"It's nearly been a week since October 29," Lucy noted, "Seriously, what's up with that guy?"

"October 29?" Natsu repeated then looked up as if he's thinking, "Now, why is that date familiar to me? Hmmm…"

"Because it's the Gray Depression Day, remember?" Happy answered, "Gray's usually depressed for a few days or so because of something that no one apparently knows."

"Oh yeah!" Natsu grinned, "Now I know why."

Erza crossed her arms in front of her chest, "Well, this is the longest Gray Depression Day to date. Normally, it's just for three days at most but now it has been for six days and he's not telling us anything."

"Is it the death anniversary of his parents or his teacher perhaps?" Lucy suggested.

Erza shook her head, "No. Gray got over those incidents already. Maybe we should just leave him for now and respect his need for privacy. If he wants to talk about it, let's just listen, alright?"

"Sure thing," Lucy agreed. The two women expected an answer from Natsu but got disappointed because the ship began to move and Natsu's motion sickness took over.

Upon arrival and after dividing the reward among themselves, Gray went home after quietly bidding goodbye to his friends. Once again, he took out the locket from his pocket then stared at her picture for the nth time. Even if the image was somewhat faded already, he could still make out her beautiful features and the large tree that served as her background. As he walked, he caressed the photo lovingly then checked the time. It was already seven thirty in the evening and he's hungry but too tired to prepare himself food. He decided to go to a local restaurant and eat his dinner there. He ordered some rice, soup, and chicken from the friendly waiter and, when his order arrived, he ate quietly, not really tasting the food.

"Have you heard of the legend of the Lightning Goddess, Lyon-dono?"

Gray stopped eating then perked up. He glanced at the source of the voice and saw that his former sempai Lyon Vastia talking to a large, massively muscled bald man.

"No, Jura-san," Lyon addressed the large man, "All I know is that the Lightning Goddess was sealed away in ice nearly 80 years ago and that she's the most powerful lightning mage ever who could have been a Wizard Saint."

"That's right, Lyon-dono," Jura said, "She and the legendary dark wizard Zeref shared some history, though. Many books claim the two of them were lovers before and she's the reason why Zeref manages to control his wild impulse to destroy everything in his path. But somehow, when Zeref was sealed away, the Lightning Goddess started a new life but she was eventually sealed away by another dark mage named Alden Johanssen. Rumours say that a lot of dark guilds are searching for her so they could unseal her then reunite her with Zeref and start a new world that nobody but them will dominate."

Gray's eyes widened just as Lyon answered, "What a sick goal, then. Sooner or later, we'll find out that the Fairy Tail guild is already involved with the Lightning Goddess."

"Well, that guild's already involved with her," Jura said and Gray's eyes―if possible―widened at Jura's next words, "Right after Zeref was sealed, the Lightning Goddess joined Fairy Tail to start over. That time, it was Mavis Vermillion, the founder of Fairy Tail, who headed the guild. She―the Lightning Goddess―even became an S-Class wizard and was known as the most powerful mages the Fairy Tail housed."

_The Lightning Goddess used to be a part of our guild? _Gray thought as he stood up then paid for his food. He went out of the restaurant, apparently appalled at the facts he just heard. His mind raced and recalled the girl's request three years ago.

"_Remember, I'll be waiting for you to release me. If you do that, let's find the Lightning Goddess together, okay?"_

Could she be the apprentice of the Lightning Goddess? Or part of a dark guild who happened to have an angel's face and voice that made him fall for her even if they met each other just once?

Gray shook his head just as he reached his house. He went in, carelessly flung his things on the floor, then flopped himself on the couch. He touched his lips again, subtly feeling her kiss. He longed to kiss her again, to feel those soft lips and sweet caramel and apples flavour fill his mouth till he gets sugar rush and feels so high like a drug addict. His heart pounded against his ribs as he remembered that small, passionate moment that he treasured so much and tucked in the most special place in his heart and mind. He remembered that he'd blush at random moments because he was thinking of her. If they met again, he'd try to win her heart so he could touch her lips again with his own.

God, he was in-love.

With no one but her.

And Gray was determined to find her. He could no longer wait. Three years was too damn long.


	4. Chapter Three

**Chapter Three…**

Blood Unity.

A dark guild that rivals the strength of the members of the Baram Alliance; Tartarus, Grimoire Heart, and Oracion Seis. It was composed of only seven members, and all are S-Class mages who are very skilled in their specific field. All of them, except one, are artificial Dragon Slayers and have aliases, not revealing their true name even to each other except their master. Their aliases are the letters of the alphabet and it was the guild's rule that they never reveal their real name unless they're dying.

There was A, the Artificial Water Dragon Slayer.

B, the Artificial Sound Dragon Slayer.

C, the Artificial Earth Dragon Slayer.

D, the Artificial Blood Dragon Slayer.

E, the Ice Dragon Slayer.

F, the Artificial Wind Dragon Slayer. And,

G, the Artificial Crystal Dragon Slayer.

All of them were experimented with dragon-infused lacrima when they were young and rigidly trained by their master until she deemed them worthy then formed the guild. Their master, who rarely shows her face to the public, was feared by many even at the sound of her name.

The name? Astrid Darius.

She specialized in Death Magic, too, but her skills were not on par with the Killing Mage Zeref. But never mind that; once she frees the creature trapped in ice, her guild will be recognized, even by the legal ones.

As Astrid gazed out of the window, the sunlight barely catching the glint of her long blond hair arranged in a French braid with black flowers, someone knocked on her door.

"Come in," she said, her voice low and quiet and a tall, leanly built, young man with spiky black hair, pale green eyes, and slightly pale skin entered. "What is it, A?" she asked, not even bothering to turn around.

"Master…" His voice was cool and calm like water, "The ice has already melted halfway through her waist. Shall we speed up the melting process?"

"No, just let it be," Astrid answered, "It seems like we underestimated Ivan's special ice sealing technique. Good thing we have E by our side or else we would not accomplish this."

A looked at Astrid, "Indeed, Master. Shall I go now, Master Astrid?"

"Yes, you may," Astrid allowed. When A shut the door, Astrid felt something swell up in her chest. She discerned it as pride, knowing that she'll achieve her goal soon.

"What did the Master say, A?" B, a slim, petite build female with chin length hazelnut-brown hair and brownish red eyes, asked.

"Master said let's just let the process as it is," A answered as he sat down then gazed the woman slowly being freed from the ice, "I have to admit that she's a beauty, ne? It's hard to believe that she's one of the most feared mages in the entire history of magic."

The twin dragon slayers C and D, who are both possessing mahogany-coloured hair, light blue eyes, and slightly pale skin, came in the guild. Both just completed a mission and, when they saw the glacier being melted, comprehension dawned on the men's features.

"So it already started, huh," C remarked, "Where's E, F, and G?"

D sat down beside A, "As far as I know, F and G are on a mission together and E's sleeping over there." He pointed to a man with dark purple hair cropped at the neck with longish bangs framing his face, very pale skin, and amethyst eyes with no discernible pupils when opened, who was sprawled on a sofa a few feet from them with his feet dangling from the furniture he's resting on.

B snorted, "Sheesh is there no end to his sleepiness?"

A looked tired, "Just let him be. He's happy with what he's doing and, anyway, why does it bother you so much when he sleeps, B?"

She blushed then averted the Water Dragon Slayer's piercing green eyes, "He doesn't do anything but sleep and sleep and more sleep."

"Then why don't you go find your own couch then sleep, too?" C asked as he ate a green apple, "If it's bothering you so much then don't look at him."

"Heh, she just wants him to notice her new haircut," D said, "You know how girls can be vain when the guy they like is around."

B threw a pillow at him and D dodged it effortlessly. C caught the fluffy object then flung it towards A, who caught it then set it down on his side. Just then, a sinister cracking sound resonated in the entire room and the Dragon Slayers, save for E, turned towards the ice. There was a large crack forming from the waist down then made its way all throughout the glacier. A delicious crashing sound accompanied by a body thudding on the floor resounded in the whole guild. The ice's prisoner lay unconscious on the floor, the ice shards surrounding her like bluish white petals. Frost that clung to her clothes and hair began to melt thanks to the room temperature.

The four were stunned, their eyes glued on the figure on the floor. It was also the same moment when E woke up, his amethyst eyes alert and his body tensed. He surveyed the surroundings and saw the shocked expressions of his fellow guild members. He followed their line of gaze and saw their source of shock. He stood up, approached the woman on the floor, then propped her up in his arms.

"What are you doing, E?" B half demanded, half asked just as E lowered his face towards the woman.

"I'm going to give her some body heat," he merely replied, "She must be suffering from hypothermia for being in that ice for so long." B could only watch in horror as E sealed the woman's lips with his. She looked around and saw that C, D, and A seemed…quite envious. E then carried the woman in his arms then laid her down gently on the sofa. He wrapped a lot of blankets around her then had a lot of pillows surround her. A excused himself so he could report to the Master. C and D followed him while B watched E watch the woman with adoration in his eyes.

Anger seethed in B's chest. She was in-love with E for as long as she can remember but the Ice Dragon Slayer lived up to the element he uses. He was cold and stoic and never speaks much unless it's necessary or if he's asked with a direct question. B was drawn to his mysterious aura and boy-next-door good looks but he didn't look at her the way he looked at the woman.

_Could it be that E's in-love with that bitch? _B asked herself, unable to keep jealousy from overwhelming her entire being. She went out of the guild, forcing herself to calm down. No way she's going to hand E over that woman just like that.

_Three days later…_

When it was B's turn to watch over, which was grudgingly accepted by E, B saw it as a chance to destroy the woman. She doesn't care if the Master will get angry at her, she'll kill this woman so she'll have E by herself.

She raised her hand and concentrated all of the sound in it. She planned to plunge her hand straight in the woman's ears so the said organs will bleed and the woman will die of blood loss.

"Do that and you'll die," E warned, his voice seething with malice and venom. B turned and saw that E already had an ice spear ready, his features hard and stern.

"Why does she matter to you that much?" B demanded, ready to impair the woman's hearing, "You think she can love you the way you do? That she'll return whatever you're feeling right now?"

Before E could reply, a small, female voice asked quietly, "Why are you fighting?"

The two stopped then looked around. Apparently, no one was in the room but the two of them and the unconscious woman on the couch. There was a shuffling of blankets and the Dragon Slayers' eyes immediately snapped down to the couch.

The woman was already awake and she had propped herself up on one elbow. E couldn't believe it. He was looking at the most beautiful creature ever. He thought she's already attractive when she's asleep but right now, he thought wrong. He has never seen someone with dual colored eyes. Her right eye was dark brown like milk chocolate while the left eye was crimson red. It may be weird on other people but on her, it was like the best tourist spot ever.

Immediately, E and B got down on their knees then bowed.

"We are pleased to have you in our guild, O Lightning Goddess…Lady Blade Aleveraj," the two of them said in unison.

_Back in Fairy Tail…_

Gray suddenly felt something in his chest, the same emotion that he felt when _she _was near him. Instinctively, he took out the locket then gazed at her picture again. He and his team were on the way to Blue Pegasus guild where they will form the Light Team with the other guilds namely Blue Pegasus, Lamia Scale, and Cait Shelter. This team was created for the purpose of defeating the Oracion Seis and prevent the said dark guild from activating Nirvana, the ancient Lost Magic known to convert light to darkness and good to evil.

He placed the locket back in his pocket just as they arrived in front of the Blue Pegasus guild. They entered the infrastructure and were immediately greeted by three members of the said guild namely Ren Akatsuki, Hibiki Lates, and Eve Tearm, even though Erza and Lucy were given the warm welcome. He and Natsu stood by the background, watching the men entertain their team mates. Gray let his mind float about; even feigning surprise when he saw Lyon come in with two of his fellow guild mates from Lamia Scale namely Jura Neekis and Sherry Blendy.

Once the Light Team was assembled, all of them ventured out to find where the base of the Oracion Seis Guild is, though Natsu already rushed out, saying that he will find the Oracion Seis and finish them off. Pretty soon, everyone followed behind the overly enthusiastic Fire Dragon Slayer.

Only to be effortlessly defeated by the Oracion Seis members.

Damn, but the guys were _strong_. Despite the Light Team's advantage in numbers, the six-membered guild picked at them like they're nothing. As Gray lay on the ground after he was attacked by a copy of him using his move Ice Make: Lance, his attention was caught by the sleeping lad sitting on a floating mat. For some reason, he felt a pull―and surprisingly, it's not negative―towards the sleeping guy but the Ice Mage shook it off. Before Gray could think of anything else, his mind slipped into unconsciousness.


	5. Chapter Four

**Chapter Four…**

It had been nearly three days since she woke up and stayed in the Blood Unity guild. Blade never talks much to the members except when it's necessary. She doesn't like the guild's atmosphere, not like the guild she really spent a lot of time in before she was sealed away.

_The guild that brought her to him_.

She also doesn't like the way the male members of the guild gaze at her like she's some fresh piece of meat. She'd always go out of the guild for some fresh air and this guy who goes by the alias E would accompany her quietly, which she doesn't mind at all. She finds him good-looking too but not as good-looking as…as…

_As him, _she thought to herself one day.

She had to get out of here, she had to. Ever since they freed her from her ice imprisonment, she immediately found out their purpose, which was to reunite her with the dark mage Zeref and have them side the dark guilds. Blade's quiet aware that the light guilds won't stand a chance against her and Zeref even if every light guild in the whole continent joined forces.

She started to think. She's surrounded with Artificial Dragon Slayers and they obey a master who specializes in black magic, though not as powerful as Zeref. Blade's quite aware that E's into her―she'd be _too_ apathetic not to notice that―and Blade could use that as her advantage. She glanced behind her and saw that E was a few feet behind her, sitting on the ground while absentmindedly playing with the grass with his fingers. He looked up when he felt her looking at him, his amethyst orbs gazing at her evenly. She moved until she was beside him, her legs lightly touching his. From the corner of her eye, she saw a light blush powder his cheeks, complementing his violet locks and giving colour to his pale cheeks. She turned then smiled at him, completely mystifying him, before returning to the guild. It was a moment later when she sensed him following her. She entered the guild and requested an audience with the master. A few seconds later, she was in the master's quarters, seated on a plush sofa across Astrid Darius.

"Tell me, Blade," Astrid said, "What do you want to talk about?"

"I want to know the reason why you freed me from my ice imprisonment," Blade requested, her face smooth and expressionless. She already devised a plan on how to escape, just in case.

Astrid grinned like a cat, "If you found out, you might go berserk."

"Why? Does it involve the dark mage Zeref?" Blade asked.

"What will you do if he _is _involved in this?" Astrid shot back.

Blade flipped her hair over shoulder, "I asked you a question, Astrid-san. Now I want you to answer it."

"Such attitude. And then I thought you're calm whatever situation you are in," Astrid noted.

"I will be frank with you," Blade said, "I do not like the atmosphere your guild's emitting. I prefer my old guild and I'd like to go back there. Blood Unity is not my home."

Astrid's grin grew wider, "Oh? What if I don't want you to leave? What if I say that I released you because every dark guild wants you and Zeref reunited and rule the new world filled with nothing with darkness?"

"I see…" Blade nodded her head, a smile on his face, "Dark guilds never change, don't they? Back in my time, my power was also coveted. Honestly, I wonder if I do possess such incredible magic power. Come to think of it, I'm just a lightning mage, someone who just specializes in a very rare element because lightning requires a lot of magic to control a single bolt."

Astrid was about to question what Blade means about that when a very loud explosion resonated in the other room.

"Wha-?" Astrid started to say when Blade let out a sinister laugh.

"Oh, look. It's started already," the lightning mage said then looked straight at Astrid, "You call yourself a guild master? You can't even identify a clone from the real one." With that, Blade dissolved into small, multiple lightning bolts. There was another loud explosion and A burst in Astrid's room, his body lavishly decorated with bruises and cuts. There was one, big, ugly gash from his shoulder going down to his arm.

"It's no use, Master," he reported, "She's too strong even if we attacked together using our special techniques. B, F, and G are gravely injured while the rest of us are nearly out of magic power."

"What can I say? She's hailed as a legendary mage, after all." Astrid said, "Her skills rival those of a Wizard Saint. She's not called a goddess for nothing. Where is she now?"

A was on the verge of collapsing, "Judging from her speed, she must be miles from our guild right now. What should we do, Master? Should we go after her?"

"No, A. You are not in the condition to go against her right now," Astrid said just as a sneer formed on her face, "Rest, my loyal mage. When all of you are ready, we're going to play a game called 'Hunt for the Goddess'."

Amidst the remains of Nirvana, one of the most powerful Lost Magic that can convert light to darkness and good to evil, a young man around the age of nineteen was lying down on a pile of rubble. He wore punkish, tribal clothes, plum colored lipstick, and liquid eyeliner. He had black, spiky hair with longer strands dyed white and a single lock of white hair decorated with maroon beads; lean yet toned build; deep set crimson eyes that looked dull due to the weariness from a fight; and very creamy skin with hint of peachiness lavishly marked with cuts and bruises thanks to Titania―or better known as Erza Scarlet.

He closed his eyes, trying to clear his foggy mind. What was his name, anyway? He was so used being called Midnight that there were times he'd forget who he really is. He could perfectly recall that before he joined his guild, he woke up one day, remembering absolutely nothing except for his name, and that he felt like he slept for a very long time. He began to think hard, trying to decipher what his name was. He remembered that his surname has something to do with "Full" and ended with a –ter. Fullcarter? No, that didn't sound right. Fullhamster? That did not, either. Full…Fullbust…Fullbuster! He mentally rejoiced despite his weakened state. Yes, his surname was Fullbuster. Now for his first name…

"Harvey…" a female voice called out.

He was startled but he couldn't open his eyes. Who said that? He tried to move, to look for the source of the voice, but his body refused to obey.

"Harvey…" the voice said again. This time, Midnight could feel something warm and soft caress his very being, bringing up light that he'd never seen before. In his mind, he saw an image of a girl around seventeen or eighteen years old with long, flowing black hair with red highlights and side bangs arranged at the left side of her face. Her exposed eye was red, the same shade as Midnight's. There was a sad, concerned look all over her beautiful features that it made all the coldness and distantness that Brain drilled in him melt away.

Her lips moved again, "Open your eyes, my boy."

He tried to but he couldn't. Sensing his difficulty, she smiled at him, and it was the most beautiful thing he's ever seen. Somehow, the mere sight of her was enough to give the strength to lift his lead-like eyelids. Once his sight cleared, he saw her looking at him with the same expression on her face. She was holding him so that his head was resting on her chest.

_Such warmth_, he thought as he leaned towards her more.

She gently ran her fingers through his raven locks, "Rest, my son. No one will harm you now that we're together again. Mama's here."

"Mama…" he murmured, before finally losing consciousness.

When he came to his senses, he immediately felt that he's in a totally different environment. He winced as he sat up and examined himself. He wore a white shirt and soft blue pyjama bottoms and there were bandages wrapped around his arms and legs. He looked around, taking in the simple white walls with two bookshelves and a dresser lining the eastern wall, a study table by the window with a vase of white lilies one side, and in one corner, there was a dresser with a mirror. He caught sight of himself in the mirror and noticed that he didn't wear any make-up and that he looked quite fine without the cosmetics. He's got this feeling that he resembles someone but couldn't remember who.

He threw back the covers and stood up, immediately losing his balance. A pair of arms wrapped themselves around him to steady him. He looked up and saw her, the same gentle smile on her face.

"Who…who are you?" he asked. Normally, he wouldn't even bother to know what her name is then use his Reflector magic to finish her off. But now, he felt…different, like this girl, who was currently helping him sit down on the bed again, was someone more powerful than Titania, his foster father Brain, or even Brain's counterpart Zero. Despite her gentle aura, Midnight could sense that she's not someone to be messed with.

"I see you haven't recovered your memories yet. Here, let me help you," she said before drawing blood from her index finger with her teeth. She drew a rune-like object in front of him then placed both of her hands before the symbol. Two, gold magic circles appeared above and below Midnight.

Before he could react, she commanded in a strong, ancient voice, "RELEASE!"

The magic circles began to spin rapidly and the rune glowed brightly, surrounding Midnight with glaring white light. There was no pain, but he felt something unlocking in the deepest recesses of his mind with an audible click. Memories flooded in his brain like the roaring sea breaking a dike and submerged the nearby towns. A lot of things popped up of nowhere, filling every blank in his mind the answers to his questions.

His parents, Blade Aleveraj and Ivan Fullbuster.

Alden Johanssen, the one who attacked him and his family on the night of his ninth birthday.

His parents, about to win the bloody battle, but Alden cheated then used an unblockable and powerful technique.

His mother, sealing off his memories and putting him to sleep, until he woke up and became one of the slaves to build the Tower of Heaven, before she was fully frozen in ice.

His father, sacrificing what remained of his life to lessen the effects of the cursed ice.

And his full name, Harvey Fullbuster.

"Do you remember now?" the girl asked as the rune and magic circles disappeared. There was a hint of strain in her voice, indicating the amount of magic she used just to unlock the seal in his mind.

_No,_ his mind scolded, _she's not an ordinary girl, you dolt. She's your…_

"Mama…" he said, his voice somewhat childish and tiny.

Despite her tired state, she beamed, "Thank goodness…Harvey…my son…"

He couldn't help but return the smile, "Mama!" he stood up then embraced her, taking in her sweet, cinnamon and vanilla scent that he always enjoyed smelling even when he was still a child. He led her back to the bed and let her lean against him. Somehow, all of these felt natural to him. He'd always wanted a mother to be there for him, to cook for him, to sing him a lullaby until he fell asleep… eventually, he began to tell her what happened to him after he was found in an ice casket―made by his father Ivan―by wizards looking for slaves to build the Tower of Heaven to resurrect the dark wizard Zeref. He related that while he was in prison, there were always fights and chaos going around that he couldn't sleep after a day's work. He always prayed that he would be given one day to sleep peacefully. Now that his mama's here with him, she can sing him lullabies till he fell asleep.

"Of course," Blade said, "If it's what you want, Harvey."

He continued his story how he discovered his ability in Reflector magic and got recruited in the guild Oracion Seis with the goal to get Nirvana. He was hailed as the strongest of the six guild members, or Six Generals as Brain liked to call them. And Brain even adopted him because of his power.

And then, he suffered a painful defeat at the hands of Titania.

"She uses Requip Magic that allows her to change from armour to another, each one powerful in its own way," he explained, now leaning on her shoulder. Then a question popped in his mind, "Mama, are we going to start again? Now that we have each other again after more than half a century of separation and Dad may not be here with us anymore, I want to live a simple life with you. We can go on missions and stuff, maybe even join a guild, then live in a quiet house. Then, we'll find the solution to your curse."

She smiled at him tenderly, "Don't you want to live in the mansion in Aleveraj Island?"

"It's too big and there's only the two of us. The mansion won't be filled and it will be very boring," Midnight, now Harvey, answered, "For me, a plain, old bungalow is enough."

"Alright, then," she said as she slowly ran a hand through his raven locks, "We'll move out as soon as we had our lunch."

"By the way, Mama, how did you find me?" he asked as he sat down on a chair while she served their meal.

So she told him what happened to her after she was freed from her nearly-century-long imprisonment. She was kept in a dark guild called Blood Unity with the goal to reunite her with Zeref and make them rule the new world that's already purged of the 'weaklings' or the light guilds. She escaped and was travelling with no particular place in mind when she came across the ruins of Nirvana and the Rune Knights on one side. Obviously, there was a fight going on but Blade didn't take notice any of the ruckus. She was focused on why in the world the Nirvana's summoned once again so she explored the ruins of the ancient city until she came across Harvey's unconscious body. She also explained that she replaced him with a lightning clone so that the Rune Knights won't get suspicious.

Harvey dug in his lunch. It's been a long time since he experienced eating a home-cooked meal, especially the one made by his mother. "So, Mama, where are we going?" he asked before taking a sip of his drink.

"I'm going back to my old guild, where I met your father," she answered plainly.

He stopped chewing then looked disbelievingly at his mother, "Mama, are you serious? But, they might recognize me."

"I'll protect you if that's the case. If that Brain person's still alive, I'll kill him for planting wrong perspectives in your young mind," she said, "I'm still a legal mage in that guild because my mark's still on me and I don't think they don't have a rule regarding taking in members that were sealed in ice before."

He looked doubtful, "But Titania…"

"Will not lay a finger on you," she finished firmly, "If she does anything bad to you, she'll face the wrath of a mother. Besides, I don't think the current members of that guild are so narrow-minded that they won't listen to an explanation of a misguided teen."

"Mama…" he groaned helplessly, "I'm technically one hundred and eight years old, if you counted my years of slumber."

She frowned. Age was a somewhat touchy subject for her. "And I'm nearly four hundred myself. It doesn't make any difference, Harvey, even though we look way younger than our real age. And we're going back to the guild, okay? If Ivan's still alive, he would've wanted us to go back, too."

"I wish Papa's here," he murmured, "If only Alden didn't spoil my ninth birthday back then, Papa would still be alive."

"There's a reason why that happened, my son," Blade assured her son, "And we're going to find out what that is. So now, we'll just have to go to Magnolia town, find a nice house to live in, and then start over. What do you say in that, Harvey?"

She smiled at him and he returned it, "Sure thing, Mama." He agreed, "I'm with you, no matter what."


	6. Chapter Five

**Chapter Five…**

"Lyon-sama, where are you going?"

Lyon turned and saw Sherry standing behind him, a curious expression on her face. He answered, "I'm going out for some fresh air. I'll be fine, Sherry."

Said girl nodded and Lyon went out. He walked away with no particular place in mind. He just let his feet lead him where they want him to go then he'd probably stay there for a moment or two. He thought about his former co-pupil, Gray, and how distant he looked when they were strategizing against the Oracion Seis guild. Lyon even noticed that before all of them set out to find the enemy; Gray was gazing intently and adoringly at the contents of a square-shaped, silver locket adorned with sapphires and onyx. He wondered if the said trinket came from a lover or a loved one and Gray thinks that it's a good luck charm.

Something stirred to his right and he turned, only to find a battle going on. He saw Adrian Vargas, the resident fire mage who would cause trouble when he's drunk, clashing against a teenaged girl around the age of seventeen or eighteen. Lyon raised an eyebrow; it was his first time to see her around town.

_Maybe she's new in town, _he thought to himself as he joined in the audience forming around the battling duo.

The girl warded off the attacks as if they're nothing. To point it out, she looked totally bored. Finally, she snapped her fingers and the ground that Adrian was standing on suddenly emitted lightning. Pure, high voltage of electricity surrounded Adrian and the dark mage screamed like hell. Five seconds later, the lightning ceased and Adrian collapsed on the ground, twitching and black like charcoal.

"That's for trying to get my money," she said. She checked her nails, as if nothing happened.

"Mama," ―Lyon raised an eyebrow at that―, "here's your root beer," A black-haired boy with red eyes and―weirdly, Lyon might add―Gray-like features appeared from the crowd, holding a bottle of said drink. When he saw the situation, he raised an eyebrow, "Another perverted stalker? That's your tenth one since Oshibana Town."

_This girl's a mother to this guy? Must be a playful nickname, _Lyon thought as he assessed the girl once more. He took in her seventeen or eighteen years old appearance; long, flowing black hair that reached past her buttocks with blue highlights and side bangs arranged at the right side of her face, exposing only one eye the shade of crimson-red; lithe and slim build yet womanly enough to attract any guy; and somewhat pale complexion. She had a straight nose and soft, full, pink lips accentuated with light pink gloss.

"Excuse me, are you new here?" Lyon asked, stepping away from the crowd, who were slowly dispersing one by one. The girl looked up and Lyon nearly stopped.

She was the most gorgeous girl he's ever seen.

She smiled and Lyon blushed, "Yes. We're new in town. My name is Blade, and this is my son Harvey," she gestured to the boy beside her, "What's your name?"

"I'm Lyon," he managed to say without stuttering, "I'm a member of the Lamia Scale guild. On behalf of my guild, I would like to thank you for taking care of Adrian; he's been quite a nuisance lately. That should put him to rest for the meantime."

"Well, I'm glad to be of help, then," she said.

"Lyon-dono."

Lyon turned and saw Jura with Sherry. "Who are you talking to?" Jura asked, approaching the ice mage.

"Jura-san…" Lyon acknowledged the Wizard Saint and his guild mate with a polite nod, "This is Blade-san and her son Harvey-kun. They're new here and, as you can see, Adrian tried to mess with them but Blade-san easily defeated him."

Jura bowed a bit at Blade, "Thank you, Blade-dono, Harvey-dono. What you did will benefit not only the guild but also our town."

Harvey sweat-dropped at the honorific, "Uhm…what's with the honorific, Jura-san?"

"Jura-san's probably the most modest man alive in this planet," Sherry supplied, "You wouldn't even know that he's one of the Ten Wizard Saints."

"Please come with us to our guild. You must be tired from your journey," Jura requested, "We can provide you shelter until you're well-rested and good to go to your next destination. Please accept it as our thanks."

"Or you can join Lamia Scale if you want," Lyon offered helpfully as the five of them began to walk towards the guild's direction.

Blade shook her head, "I'm afraid I can't do that, Lyon. We're already a member of a guild."

Curiosity sparked up in Lyon, "May I know what is it?"

Harvey told him.

"But why didn't I see you there before?" Sherry asked, "I honestly can't remember seeing you in that guild."

"Because we've been away from that guild for so long for we solved a conflict," Blade said.

"What is the element that you use, Blade-dono, Harvey-dono?" Jura inquired.

"Lightning," Blade answered just as Harvey responded with, "Reflector magic."

Jura raised an eyebrow, "Very few mages specialize in the lightning element because of the amount of magic required to control a single lightning bolt. How did you do it, Blade-dono?"

"I've had lots of training before I became a full-fledge lightning mage, Jura-san," Blade replied, "The type of magic that I use is already obliterated from history already, thanks to the immense power and sheer gravity of its side effects. Technically, I should be considered as a taboo already."

Before Jura or Lyon could say anything, Harvey butted in, "Mama was called a lot of names back then and people feared even the sound of her name. There are a lot of legends associated with my mother, though most of them were fake. We may not look it, but we're older than you think."

Jura and Lyon looked at each other, their eyes wide with understanding. "Could it be..?" Lyon asked Jura.

"Could it be what?" Sherry and Harvey asked at the same time.

Jura filled them in just in time they arrived in front of the guild. It was when they entered the Lamia Scale that Blade confirmed their suspicions. Upon hearing that, Lyon, along with Sherry, and Jura, knelt in front of Blade and Harvey. The other members of Lamia Scale followed suite even though they have no clue what's happening.

"Please rise. It is not necessary for you to kneel," Blade said. Beside her, Harvey looked a bit uncomfortable because of the sign of respect.

"We are honoured to have you in our guild, Blade-dono," Jura said as he stood up then face her. Everyone followed him and then stared at Blade, awestruck at Jura's reverence at the said lady.

"Please make yourselves at home," Sherry said, leading Blade to a comfortable looking table for two. She made Blade and Harvey sit down and two other members presented them with food and drinks.

"You do not need to bother…" Blade murmured, somewhat ashamed. It's been a long time since she was treated with such great respect. She then looked at Lyon and saw that he was quietly scrutinizing Harvey as if he already saw her son somewhere.

"May I ask something, Lyon?" she said.

"Yes?"

"Were you part of those who tried to stop Oracion Seis from activating Nirvana?"

Harvey tensed, "Mama…"

"Yes." Lyon answered, "Why do you ask?"

She stood up then gently rested Harvey's head on her chest, "It will be okay, my son. I'll take care of this." She then turned to Lyon, "You've been looking at my son for too long. Does he seem familiar to you?"

Hesitantly, the ice mage nodded, "Yes, Blade-san…" he looked uncertain, like if he said something, Blade would get angry.

"Lyon-san," Harvey said, "Didn't you notice the guy who slept on a floating mat while the rest of the Oracion Seis beat up the Light Team?"

Lyon nodded.

"That guy is me," Harvey confessed before burying his face in Blade's chest.

Lyon's mouth dropped. Blade's son was a member of the Dark Guild Oracion Seis who once aimed to destroy all the light guilds using Nirvana? Harvey was Midnight? The one Natsu tried to hit but couldn't because something invisible shielded Midnight from Natsu's dragon roar?

"Please hear me out," Blade pleaded, "Harvey and I were separated for a long time and I sealed away his memories after Alden Johanssen attacked us to keep him safe. Please understand that he was misguided because I was sealed away in ice for a long time and no one was there to lead him to the life a youth should have. Brain raised him because of his power and I swear that if that bastard's still alive, I won't hesitate to kill him because of the wrongness he planted in my son's brain."

Lyon stared. Here he was, standing in front of a mother defending her son from accuses. Lyon himself forgot what it really feels like to have a mother loving you, guiding you to the right way, and chastising you for the wrong things you've done.

"I know he's done a lot of wrong things but as his mother, I need you to know that I'm willing to atone for everything my son did in the past when he was under Brain's command," Blade finished. Harvey looked up, surprise evident all-over his features at his mother's claim.

"Do not worry, Blade-dono," Jura chimed in, "I am pretty sure that Harvey-dono already regretted what he did before, ne?"

Blade looked relieved, "Thank you. That's all I ask of you."

Astrid and her subordinates stood in front of Mermaid Heel, the guild known to have members that are all female. She stretched her hand out and they took it as a signal to attack.

"Roar of the Water Dragon!" A said, producing a long line of water that became a huge water ball. It hit the guild directly, making his comrades attack using their special techniques. The members of Mermaid Heel tried to retaliate but the force of seven dragon slayers attacking all at once were too much for them to handle. Eventually, the once majestic building of Mermaid Heel guild was turned into a pile of nothingness.

"Sabertooth, check. Twilight Ogre, check. Titan Nose, check," Astrid muttered to herself, ticking away names of other light guilds in Fiore, "All that's left is Fairy Tail, Lamia Sale, and Blue Pegasus. I wonder what those guys have in store for us?"

"Where will we attack next, Master?" G asked as they walked away to find another guild to pound to dust.

"How about we eliminate Fairy Tail first, Master?" D suggested, "Those guys will immediately react once we attack Lamia Scale and Blue Pegasus. Better erase the biggest thorn first."

Astrid nodded at D's deduction, "Good point, D. Anymore breakdown about Fairy Tail?"

"They've got the Salamander, the Sky Maiden, and Iron Gajeel―all dragon slayers―; Titania Erza, the Demon Mirajane, the Thunder God tribe who specialize in eye magic, and of course, their Master Makarov, a Wizard Saint," F answered.

"Fairy Tail is a good four and a half miles from here, Master," B said, "If we keep up this speed, we might get there tonight."

"Good, good," Astrid smiled, "Good job on destroying five guilds in one day, my dragon slayers, and for that I'll let you take a rest. We'll attack tomorrow afternoon. We'll give those fairies a lunch they'll never forget."

Blade already felt it the moment she entered the salon.

She dismissed it as some random, negative feeling. But when the manicurist was halfway through her feet, the feeling intensified. Something felt terribly wrong and it was greatly bothering her. It has something to do with her guild―and no, she is not talking about Lamia Scale.

When the manicurist was nearly finished with her feet, Blade asked, "Is it okay if you speed up, Miss? There is some urgent matter that I need to take care of." Seeing the woman's somewhat miffed look, Blade added, "I'll double the pay if you finish my hands in less than three minutes."

Instantly, the woman got to work, polishing, buffing, and beautifying Blade's nails to perfection. She gave the woman two thousand jewels then hurried out of the shop but observed caution since the nail polish on her nails were still wet. She barged in the Lamia Scale and saw Harvey talking amiably with a few guild members while eating caramel popcorn. He looked up and an anxious expression crossed his features when he saw how agitated she looked.

"What's wrong, Mama?" he asked concernedly as she approached him.

"We need to go, Harvey. Right now and no questions. I'll explain on the way," she ordered in a firm voice.

Harvey gulped, somewhat scared of the aura his mother's emitting, but followed her anyway. Lyon noticed their hastiness and approached them.

"Is something the matter?" he asked Blade.

Blade told him.

Understanding dawned all over his features, "Is there any way we can offer help?"

"No," Blade shook her head, "But providing us with a temporary home and a warm welcome are more than enough."

"Thank you very much, Lyon-san. We really appreciate you and your guild's kindness to me and my mother," Harvey said.

"But before we leave…" Blade said before clasping her hands together near her chest. Her hands glowed with yellow light and then Lyon felt something being attached on him. He looked at his wrist and saw a chain bracelet with a lightning pendant there. He looked around and saw that the other members possess the same trinket.

"That's a lightning bracelet," Blade explained, "It will protect you from any means of physical or magical attack. As long as you wear that bracelet, nothing will harm you."

"And how exactly will it protect me?" Lyon asked. Wordlessly, Blade grabbed an empty glass then threw it directly at Lyon. Instantly, the bracelet lit up and a bolt of lightning came out of the accessory, shielding Lyon from the projectile. The glass shattered into pieces upon contact with the bolt.

Lyon was awestruck, "Whoa. Thank you, Blade-san. I…I don't know what else to say."

"A simple thank you is enough, Lyon," Blade assured, "We should go now. Please deliver my thanks to Jura-san."

"Of course," Lyon agreed, "If you need anything, let us know."

She smiled and, once again, he blushed, "My eternal gratitude is always with you and your guild, Lyon. Take care, ne? We will see each other again soon."

"Goodbye, Blade-san…" Lyon murmured just as Blade and Harvey teleported away, leaving a few bolts of lightning behind.

"What do you want, Astrid?" Makarov demanded, "My guild is not bothering you and I don't see any point in this useless ambush."

Astrid sneered, "My, my, Makarov. Don't play innocent with me. I know she's in there with you. All I want you to do is to hand her over and Blood Unity will never bother Fairy Tail ever again."

"I have no idea what you are talking about," Makarov scoffed, "What I care about is that your subordinates are hurting my brats!"

"Always the fatherly type, aren't you?" Astrid cooed mockingly, watching E take on Gray, "Come now, Makarov. Just give her to me and we'll leave as if nothing happened."

"Who in the world are talking about?" Makarov demanded impatiently as he mentally deducted who Astrid wants to take. Could it be Erza or Mirajane or Lucy, again?

Astrid let out a delighted, yet sinister, laugh, "Who else but the Lightning Goddess herself."

"The Lightning Goddess?" Makarov couldn't believe what he's hearing, "Are you out of your mind? She was sealed away nearly a hundred years ago!"

"Don't treat me like a fool, Makarov. I know that she's a mage of this guild before she was completely sealed away by my ancestor Alden Johanssen," Astrid warned, "To tell you frankly, I was the one who freed her from her imprisonment and she escaped from me without even saying her thanks."

Gray stopped, shocked at what he heard. "The Lightning Goddess…is free already?"

Astrid turned to him, "Oh? You know something about her, boy? You look like you've seen her already. Come, tell me what you know."

"Is this related to the girl you saw three years ago, Gray?" Makarov asked.

Gray nodded, "Yes, Gramps. She told me that when she's free, she'll find me then we'll search for the Lightning Goddess together. Then she gave me this." He reached in his pocket then took out the locket.

Astrid laughed again, "Useless bit of information, then. You're nothing but a wanna-be, you Popsicle. You will never find the Lightning Goddess because no one but I will do that! But I'm curious," she added, "What does this girl look like?"

Gray looked miffed, "Why should I tell you? First you insult me, call me Popsicle like I'm some kind of a freaking dessert, and then ask me what does she look like? There's no way in hell that I'll tell you that."

"Fine. I'll find out myself," Astrid said as she lifted her hand and a black orb glowed from the pal of her hand, "Sweet dreams, Popsicle." She thrust her hand out and the ball sped towards Gray.

"Gray! Watch out!" Makarov warned.

And then a bolt of lightning obliterated the black orb in one shot.

Amidst the smoke and chaos, a female voice spoke, "So you intend to destroy Fairy Tail, huh?"

"I knew you'd come here!" Astrid sounded delighted, "Now be a good girl and come with me so Fairy Tail will be spared from harm."

"Fairy Tail is my home…" the voice continued, "And those who try to lay a finger on my home will feel my wrath… Because I…""

"Oh? Because of what?" Astrid's voice was taunting, "Why do you say so? Why do you consider such a puny guild important compared to my Blood Unity…Blade Aleveraj?"

"Because I…" as the voice uttered those words, the smoke slowly cleared, revealing that familiar black hair with blue highlights…smooth, slightly pale skin…and lone, exposed red eye with fury evidently spelled in it. Gray's mouth dropped.

Blade then summoned another ten-foot long, bluish-white bolt, "Because I am Fairy Tail's Lightning God Slayer!"


	7. Chapter Six

**Chapter Six…**

Blade could feel anger boiling in her chest but she kept her face smooth. The emotions in her chest intensified further when Astrid laughed.

"You, a member of Fairy Tail?" Astrid mocked, "Don't make me laugh, Blade. You belong to Blood Unity, you hear? I freed you from your more than 80 years of immobility in ice so you should be thankful."

"Silence!" Blade yelled, the fresh smell of ozone wafting in the air, "Someone like you have no right to order me around. And I'm sure as hell that I did not accept membership from your worthless guild. It's nothing compared to Fairy Tail. So what if it's made up of Artificial Dragon Slayers if they don't know anything about camaraderie and that magic isn't all about power and selfishness? Guilds like yours should be erased from the map!" she hurled the bolt towards A and B, who dodged in the nick of time but the lightning kept on following them. "Would you like to see my mark to prove that I'm not joking?" Without waiting for a response, Blade lifted the hem of her skirt and her black-coloured Fairy Tail mark located on her thigh hit Astrid like a huge truck.

Astrid gritted her teeth then looked at her remaining Dragon Slayers, "Get her! And make sure to do so!"

"Don't touch my mother!" Harvey exclaimed beside Blade and then the outfits of the enemies began to constrict them, suffocating them. As they gasped for air, Midnight held up one of his arms, his index finger pointing outward while the others were bent then commanded, "Spiral Pain!" and then swiped the air in front of him, creating a huge vortex of distorted air that swiped away the Blood Unity members―save for Astrid, who managed to escape. The brute force emitted by the spell inflicted heavy damage to the Dragon Slayers, making them collapse on the ground, unconscious and their armour shattered.

"I'll get you, Blade Aleveraj…" Astrid snarled, a dark look on her face, "And next time, your son and Fairy Tail won't be able to protect you!" with those words, she waved her hand in the air and she and her subordinates disappeared in black smoke.

Blade sighed then received a hug from Harvey. "You okay, Mama?" he asked, his face in her hair. She nodded, touched Harvey once on his cheek then turned around to face the current members of Fairy Tail. There are eight people, including the Master, and two cats, all looking shocked to see her. She looked down and saw a young man with spiked up, black hair, dark blue eyes, and toned, muscular build that Makarov addressed as Gray. She could perfectly recognize him and the locket he's holding and she took note of the huge difference between his present looks to his appearance three years ago. She smiled at him then held out her hand to help him up. A minute later, he took it then allowed her to aid him in standing up.

"Blade Aleveraj, huh?" Makarov said as he approached her, "I may not be the guild master at your time but I'd like to say it's good to have you here."

"Makarov Dreyar…" Blade acknowledged him with a nod then let go of Gray's hand, "I knew your mother. And you were still inside her when your mother and I met."

"And Mother would tell me stories about the strongest female mage in history," Makarov shared, "Seeing a legend and knowing that you were a part of the guild is an honour for me."

Blade sighed wearily but the smile retained on her face, "Ah…Anyway, am I still allowed in the guild? Let my son join in, too."

"Oh, is he your son with Ivan? I must say that he's the spitting image of your husband," Makarov noted. At the mention of Ivan's name, Blade's smile faltered a bit. "Of course! Everyone is welcome in the guild! Come in and have your mark stamped on you, my boy." The master sauntered off first. Blade and Harvey were about to follow when a woman with flaming red hair and dark eyes wearing a suit of armour pointed a sword directly at Harvey's throat.

Harvey smiled sadly, "I knew you'd recognize me….Titania Erza."

"Why wouldn't I…Midnight of Oracion Seis?" Erza shot back, pressing the tip closer to Harvey's skin.

"Please let me explain, Erza-san." Blade pleaded then told the redhead what she told Lyon. After a moment of consideration, Erza requipped back to her normal armour, a stern look on her face.

"Alright, I will reconsider for now," Erza said, "But if he does anything fishy to the guild, I won't hesitate."

"Thank you, Erza-san," Blade said, letting as much sincerity she had flow in her tone. With that, Erza uncharacteristically blushed at Blade's honorific at her. An all-powerful mage calling you "-san", "-dono", "-sama", or any other honorifics is a very rare phenomenon.

"A-anou, Blade-san," Erza said, "You don't have to call me that. Just plain Erza is ookay."

Blade nodded, "And please just call me Blade. Blade-san makes me feel old. I'm already _old_."

Erza retained the blush yet she stepped aside, "Come inside the guild. We would like to know more about Blood Unity and why do they want to take you."

After Harvey got his mark―which was placed at his left wrist and coloured black just like his mother's―, Blade resorted to telling the Blood Unity's purpose with the following people as her audience; Mirajane, Natsu, Lucy, Erza, Gray, and of course, Makarov.

"I guess that's about it," Blade said as she sipped some water.

"Zeref, huh?" Makarov muttered, "As long as he's still sealed away, then he's not a threat. You and your son will be safe in the guild, Blade. We'll make sure of that."

Blade sighed in relief, "Thank you, Master. I appreciate you taking me back in."

"It's my pleasure," then Makarov raised his mug, "Let the party for Blade and Harvey begin!"

Everyone cheered then music began to play while the others danced, sang, ate, and bid the mother and son duo a warm welcome. Blade felt a small smile play on her lips. _Fairy Tail hasn't changed after all these years, _she thought, _they're all warm and welcoming and so full of life. Nothing could compare to this guild. After all, Fairy Tail is the best guild ever._

"A-anou…do you still remember me?"

Blade looked up and saw Gray gazing at her somewhat nervously. For a minute, she assessed him again, taking in the big differences when they first met. She thought that he was cute when he was fifteen. At eighteen, he morphed into this handsome young man…

…_Who resembles Ivan a lot, _her mind offered.

"I may be old but I don't have short term memory, my young mage―or rather, Gray-kun," she said.

He looked relieved and she noticed that he was still holding the locket she gave her. He averted his eyes shyly then asked, "Uhm, do you want the locket back?"

"You can keep it," she said as she took it then wrapped it around Gray's wrist to make a bracelet, "It served as your good luck charm, right?"

A light blush powdered his features, "Yes, Blade-san, er, Blade."

Nearby, Natsu, Gajeel, and Elfman were having a bicker as usual. Gajeel punched Elfman on the gut, who retaliated with his own kick. Unfortunately, the Steel Dragon Slayer ducked out of the way, resulting into Natsu flying towards the direction of Blade. Before the pink-haired lad could make contact with Blade, she held up her hand and a bolt of lightning burst from the ground then wrapped around Natsu's waist. Everyone stopped to witness the bolt slowly settle Natsu on the ground then disappear as if it didn't even exist.

"Whoa…" Gray said, awe lacing every note of his voice.

"You've got some awesome powers there, Blade!" Natsu grinned, "Come fight me and let's see who is stronger!"

She raised an eyebrow and was about to question it when Natsu charged at her with his fists coated in fire. She sighed resignedly and effortlessly blocked him using just her arm surrounded with lightning.

She bonked him on the head with her fist, "I'm not in the mood to fight yet, Natsu. Maybe when the time comes, I'll take you on. Deal?"

"Aw, c'mon, Blade! Just this once!" Natsu whined as he stood up, "Let's see how legendary you really are!"

"I told you, I'm not in the mood," she repeated, making him pout.

"Okay," he agreed grudgingly, "Just you wait! I'm gonna beat you and every S-Class Mage of this guild!"

Gray scoffed, "Fool. You couldn't even beat me, Pointy Eyes."

Natsu looked annoyed, "Say what, Droopy Eyes?"

"I said you can't even beat me, flamehead!" Gray repeated, smirking as he stripped off his shirt― Blade's eyes widened at the sight― then got ready to attack Natsu, "You ready to go, idiot?"

"Bring it on, Pervert!" Natsu yelled, accepting Gray's challenge. He charged at the ice mage and Harvey pulled Blade away before she could nosebleed.

"You okay, Ma?" Harvey asked, fanning her with a piece of cardboard.

"What's wrong with her?" Lucy asked innocently, helping Harvey in fanning Blade.

Harvey smiled sheepishly, "Mama always gets flustered at the sight of a half-naked guy."

Lucy giggled, "Well, Gray's always like that. He's an ice mage so he tends to strip because of the temperature."

"Really? My father was also an ice mage," Harvey said just as Mirajane appeared with a large, hardbound book then handed it to Harvey. He thanked her and she sauntered off to the bar then he began to read the contents of the book.

Now calm, Blade looked at Lucy then said, "You are a Celestial Spirit mage, right?"

"Yes, I am!" Lucy answered enthusiastically, "Why do you ask?"

"May I see your keys?" she asked, holding out her hand. Lucy nodded then gave Blade the pouch that contained her keys. Casually, Blade flipped through the keys until she came across one that made memories come rushing to her brain. She held it up then gave it to Lucy.

"Will it be okay if you let him out for a moment?" Blade requested when Lucy took the specified key. Lucy looked at it and saw that it was the key for Leo.

"Sure thing, Blade," Lucy agreed, though she was a bit confused, then stood up, "Gate of the golden lion, I open thee! Leo!"

Just like that, a tall man with spiked up, strawberry blond hair, dark eyes framed with square shaped blue shades, and lean build wearing a white shirt underneath a black coat, red necktie, and black slacks appeared.

The man grinned at Lucy, "Long time no see, Lucy. Did you miss me? What can I do for you, my love?"

Lucy sweat dropped, "Quit with the flirting, Loke. Someone wants to see you."

"Oh? But I want to see you, and you only," Loke murmured seductively, leaning closer to Lucy.

And then Blade spoke up, "And then I thought you would recognize me at first glance. I must've thought wrong."

Loke froze, all the playfulness draining away from him. That voice…He'd recognize it anywhere even if he's in the Spirit World. Could it be? He turned to find out.

"B…Blade?" he didn't recognize his own voice.

She smiled at him, her exposed eye tearing up. At first, none of them spoke until she stood up then embraced him. He returned her hug, his head buried in her hair, sobs resonating from his chest.

"I thought I'd never see you again," he said, his voice shaking as he tightened his grip around her.

She looked up, their noses touching, "_Tadaima_… Father…"

"Father?" Lucy and the nearby eavesdroppers―and Erza's one of them―exclaimed in shock, "Loke is _Blade's father_?"

"_Okaeri_, my daughter," he murmured affectionately, "I missed you so much already. Oh, my daughter…my Blade…"

"What's going on?" Harvey asked innocently then looked up. Upon seeing Loke, his face broke into a huge grin, "Dad!"

"Harvey, is that you, my boy?" Loke asked incredulously as he beckoned the boy closer, "You've grown to look just like your father." The Lion spirit hugged Harvey in turn.

"Hold up," Erza butted in, "What is going on? Why are you calling him 'Father' and 'Dad'?"

Blade looked at Loke and he nodded, giving her the permission to tell them.

_"Why are you sad?" he asked her concernedly, "Are you tired? Do you want to rest for a while?"_

_ She shook her head, "I…I…you know that I'm longing for a father figure ever since I was condemned by my family when they found out I was studying magic. I was a daddy's girl so…I think you get my point."_

_ "Ah, I see." The guy nodded his head in understanding as got up, "Wait here. I'm just going to get something."_

_ She nodded obediently then patiently waited for her companion under the apple tree, which was full of luscious looking green apples. She wanted one, though, and was about to reach for one when he returned, holding a gold key._

_ "Why are you holding a Celestial Spirit key?" she asked, "And the colour is gold so it must be one of the twelve Zodiacs."_

_ "You're looking for a father figure, right? And I promised that I'll do anything to make you happy," he said, "I may not be able to provide you with a real father but this is the least that I can do."_

_ She was still confused, "How did you get one of those? That's extremely rare."_

_ "I just happened to pick it up while we were travelling a few days ago," he replied, "I think that its owner is already gone because I saw a carcass a few feet away from it and the body's holding another set of silver keys." He handed her the gold key and she took it then examined it. _

_ "Leo…" she murmured, "The Leader of the Twelve Zodiacs, and the most powerful spirit, infamous for his combat prowess." She then looked at him doubtfully, "I don't think he's going to be a good father figure to me." _

_ He just smiled, "Why don't we find out?"_

_ She sighed then began to chant, "I am linked to the path of heavens leading to the Spirit World. O, Spirit, answer my call. Gate of the golden lion, I open thee! Leo!"_

"And the rest is history," Blade concluded, "Father was shocked that I didn't want to make a contract with him. But anyways, we became close until I came to call him 'Father', and he'd always be there for me, especially when I got pregnant of Harvey."

"Yeah!" Harvey agreed, "Dad's the best grandfather ever―even if he doesn't like to be called 'Grandpa' so I settled on 'Dad' since I call my real father 'Papa'."

Loke smiled fondly at his grandson, "And you were a handful when you were still a child. You always kept me and your parents up on their toes. You won't stop crying unless we give you milk or carry you, you spoiled boy."

Harvey blushed lightly, "I didn't mean to be like that…"

"You have a lot to tell me, Blade," Loke said as the three sat down and the eavesdroppers scooted away to give them space, "Start from the smallest detail."


End file.
